Chinese Music Classics of 20th Century – II/VI: Songs

Why we need such a selection for Chinese Music?

Today Chinese music lovers are able to recite complete scores from Bach to Brahms’s; Books such as “Guide to Western Classics”, “300 Western Classical Music” fill the music section of bookstores and personal bookshelves. When it comes to Chinese music, most people would look at each other, without much to talk about.

Root of Chinese Music | by {link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/dayangchi/1766117633/}Dayangchi{/link}

The Root of Chinese Music

Chinese lack of awareness of their own music as a whole because that Chinese music had never been in a systematic order, which needs a prerequisite for a broad knowledge of understanding. The best approach for understanding is to establish a full trinity system of creation, performance and appreciation.

However, until now, China has barely started a real “Music Appreciation” era. So, at present, the goal of this selection is not to fairly evaluate or accurately judge or rank certain music works through mature experience; its goal, at best, is merely to introduce representative works for the social public awareness, in the beginning of “Appreciation” era. The award is more like a promotion rather than a certified hall of fame.

(… to be continued …)

Part II: Songs (second half, after 1945, the end of WWII)

Sun over Yangtze River | by {link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/yewenyi/2213331793/}yewenyi{/link}

After defeating the Japanese invaders (with the help of USA and USSR) in 1945 and establishing a New Country in 1949, the history of China turned into a new page for the second half of 20th century. So did Chinese Music.

Here is the second half 24 of 49 songs selected as Chinese Music Classics of 20th Century. Lots of them are tributes to our country or land or people, showing the optimism and hope about the future of new China. And some of them are songs written for TV series or movies, which represents a switching focus onto mass media entertainment.